Due to the magnitude, language barriers and confusing structures of COVID-19 assistance programs, GoGlobal Asia has updated programs for COVID-19 government support focused solely on companies that use Employer of Record (“EOR”) services in the region.

It does not include corporate programs such as financing or subsidies for companies with direct subsidiaries.

GoGlobal Asia, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with 17 offices in Asia Pacific, is at the epicenter of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Ryo Yazu, Representative Director of GoGlobal Japan stated, “We hope that the information helps employers ask the right questions since the information put out to market is often confusing and contradictory. We view this as a service to the employees we support in the region as well as those that are in similar situations.”

Click to see the COVID-19 government support program (as of April 27th, 2020):

Australia

Program: Jobkeeper Allowance

Details: $750 per week until the lockdown is lifted.

Start date: Mar 1st, 2020

How to apply: Employees need to register for jobkeeper allowance with their employers and submit their passport for verification.

Cambodia

Program: 60% minimum wages for workers employed by suspended factories due to COVID-19

Eligibility: Workers are required to attend between one and two weeks of short-term skills training organized by the Tourism Ministry.

Details: Employers would be required to pay 40% while the government would provide 20% (US$190).

Eligibility: Employer who is a corporation (other than a tax-exempt entity or public institution) covers, small businesses, medium-sized enterprises, and general taxpayer enterprises

Details:

Since February 2020, except for Hubei Province, all provinces can exempt the payment part of three social insurance units of small, and medium-sized enterprises, with the exemption period not exceeding 5 months. The payment part of social insurance items (Pension, Unemployment, industrial injury, medical; the contribution rate various by provinces /cities) of General taxpayer enterprises and other insured corporation (excluding government agencies and institutions) can be reduced in half, and the period of reduction shall not exceed 3 months.

Since February 2020, Hubei Province can exempt three payment parts of social insurance items of all types of insured corporation (excluding government agencies and institutions), with the exemption period not exceeding 5 months.

Start date: From February and up to 6 months for different type of enterprises

How to apply: No need to apply, local government will refund or exempt at the time when qualified employer (who are small, medium-sized, General taxpayer enterprises) report employee’s monthly social security fund. Enterprises with serious difficulties in production and operation affected by the epidemic situation need to apply for delaying the payment of social insurance premiums for a period not exceeding 6 months in principle, during which the overdue fine shall be exempted.

HongKong

Program: Employment Support Scheme

Eligibility: The Government will provide wage subsidies to eligible employers who undertake not to make workers redundant during the subsidy period, and to spend 100% of the subsidy on paying wages for their employees. All employers who have been making Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions or have set up Occupation Retirement Schemes for employees are eligible (except the HKSARG, statutory bodies and subvented staff in Government funded organizations, etc). 1.5 million employees are expected to benefit.

Details: Wage subsidies for each employer calculated on 50% of salary at a “specified month” (capped at a salary of $18,000) for 6 months. To be disbursed to employers
in two tranches, with the first before end-June 2020. Grant a one-off lump-sum subsidy of $7,500 to about 215,000 self-employed persons who have made MPF contributions in the past 15 months.

Start date: Starting from Apr for 6 months

How to apply: Details to be announced

Japan

Program: Special Measures on Employment Adjustment Subsidies

Eligibility: Employers who force employees to refrain from working without paying salaries or paying the leave allowance instead of salaries. Leave allowance can be paid to employee in case of employers’ reason.

Details:

Employers who terminate no employees due to COVID-19 influences on business

Small- and medium-sized business owners: additional allowance of JPY2,400

Large enterprise owners: additional allowance of JPY1,800

Start date: For leave from January 24 to June 30. Due date: within 2 months after the last absent date.

How to apply: Employers submit application to Unemployment Office that includes application form, agreement between employer and employee for leave, schedule for leave allowance, and schedule for training.

Malaysia

Program: Bantuan Prihatin Nasional, one-off cash

Eligibility:

RM1,600 to households earning a monthly income of RM4,000 and below. Payment of RM1,000 will be paid in April 2020, and RM600 in May 2020.

RM1,000 to households earning over RM4,000 to RM8,000. RM500 will be paid in April 2020, and the remaining RM500 in May.

RM800 to single individuals 21 years old and above with a monthly income of RM2,000 and below. The RM500 payment will be paid in April 2020, and the remaining RM300 in May 2020.

RM500 to single individuals aged 21 years and over with monthly income of RM2,000 to RM4,000. A payment of RM250 will be made in April 2020 and the remaining RM250 in May.

Start date: April and May 2020

How to apply: Taxpayers do not need to make any application as they are already on the LHDN taxpayers database. Those who are not registered with BSH or LHDN can make a new application on the official LHDN website.

Program: Wage Subsidy Programme Expansion

Eligibility: The government will provide a wage of RM600 per month for three months

Employer :

50% decrease in income since 1 Jan 2020. (No condition for 75 employees or fewer)

Retaining their employees for at least 6 months, which includes 3 months during the subsidy and 3 months post-subsidy.

How to apply: Applications can be submitted by Employers through prihatin.perkeso.gov.my

Program: Employment Retention Program (ERP)

Eligibility: ERP is an immediate financial assistance provided for employees who have been instructed to take no paid leave by their employer who are economically affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

All private sector employees including temporary employees who have registered and contributing to EIS (Employment Insurance System).

Limited to employees with monthly salary of RM4,000 and below.

Employers who have implemented no-pay leave (30 days minimum) for a period of 1 to 6 months, with the No-pay leave notice issued beginning March 1st, 2020.

Details: RM600 per month (max of 6 months)

Start date: March 20th, 2020

How to apply: Applications must be made by employers on behalf of their employees using Form ERPC-19.

Philippines

Program: COVID 19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

Eligibility:

All employees of companies (BOTH TEMPORARY or PERMANENT, FULL TIME or PART TIME) located across the Philippines; and

Company operations either TEMPORARILY CLOSED or applied WORK FROM HOME set up

Details: 5,000 PHP or 100 USD

Start date: March 21st, 2020 and onwards

How to apply:

The company emails 2 documents to the DOLE: (1) latest payroll of all employees and (2) downloadable establishment report application form.

DOLE deposits the financial assistance directly to employer bank account based on the payroll submitted, within three (3) days upon submission; employees without bank accounts shall receive money through remittance companies.

How to apply: No application needed. Information will make reference to CPF contribution.

Program: Foreign Worker Levy (FWL) Waiver and Rebate

Eligibility: Work permit or S pass holder, based on previous levies paid in 2020.

Details: Waiver of FWL in April 2020 plus $750 rebate per eligible worker

How to apply: No application needed.

South Korea

Program: Paid Family Care Leave – temporary program

Eligibility:

If employee has a family member who has a symptom of COVID-19

If employee has a child who attends day-care centre or school which has delayed the start of the school term, etc., due to COVID-19 (applicable to child under 9 years old or below 3rd grade elementary school)

Details: Up to 50,000 KRW per day, for up to 10 days (Max. 500,000 KRW). Up to 20 days for single-parent families.

Start date: January 20, 2020 until the official end of COVID-19

How to apply: Applications available until 60 days after the end of COVID-19

Program: Employment Retention Support Subsidy – temporary upgraded on existing program (the requirements have been temporarily relaxed, and the payment level has been raised)

Eligibility: Employers who have implemented employment retention measures, such as temporary suspension of business or leave of absence and paid suspension and leave allowances to employees

Details: Subsidized up to 3/4 of paid suspension and leave allowance (Existing support was 2/3 of paid suspension and leave allowance). Upper limit of 66,000 KRW per person per day (up to 1.98 million KRW per month), decreases depending on the size of the company

Start date: March 1 to June 30, 2020. Claim within 6 months from the start date of reduction.

How to apply:

Apply online: https://www.ei.go.kr

Apply offline: Visit a Labour Centre located in the same region and submit an application to company support team

Taiwan

Program: Unemployment benefits

Eligibility: If the insured person of employment insurance is affected by severe special infectious pneumonia and does not leave voluntarily, he/she may claim unemployment payment in accordance with the provisions.

Details: According to the average monthly insurance 60% of the new capital, dependents can be additional up to 20%.

Start date: Maximum 6 months. For those 45 years old and above or disability, maximum 9 months.

How to apply: 15 April until 31 May 2020. Application through Labor Office/ Public Employment Service.

Program: Re-Departure Training Program

Eligibility: Labor negotiations to reduce working hours, notified to the local labour administrative authority of the institutions or workers.

How to apply: Apply through labor office or call 0800-777-888 for registration

Thailand

Program: Reduction of withholding tax rate

Details: From 3% will be reduced to 1.5% on payments of assessable income from April 1 to September 30, 2020 and to 2% from October 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. However, the 2% rate will apply only to payments made via the e-withholding tax system.

Start date: April 1 to September 30, 2020

How to apply: 15 April until 31 May 2020. Application through Labor Office/ Public Employment Service.

Program: Reduction of contribution rate for employee and employer

Details: Contributions to the SSO by employers and employees will be reduced from 5% to 4% for employer and 1% for employee. The monthly maximum contribution of THB 750 will be reduced to THB 600 for employers and THB 150 for employees.

Start date: Mar until May 2020

How to apply: Apply through labor office or call 0800-777-888 for registration

Vietnam

Program: Security Package (Resolution 42/NQ-CP)

Details:

Employees who take unpaid leave or have their contracts suspended for one month or longer:

VND 1.8 million (US$77.21) a month

Starting from 1 April, 2020 and shall not exceed three months

Employees whose labor contracts are terminated and are not eligible for unemployment insurance, and employees working without a labor contract who lose their jobs:

VND 1 million a month

From April to June 2020

Employers facing financial difficulties that have paid at least 50% of salaries in advance to their employees during their suspension of work for the period from April to June 2020:

Collateral-free, zero-interest loans by the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies. The loans will be equivalent to a maximum of 50% of the minimum regional wages applicable to each employee based on the actual time of salary payment, but not exceeding three months. The maximum term of the loans is 12 months.

Starting from 1 April, 2020 and shall not exceed three months

How to apply:

Employees who take unpaid leave or have their contracts suspended for one month or longer:

Employers submit an application to the labor union (if any) and the Social Security Office for confirmation. The application includes: 1. Form 1 of Decision 15/2020/QĐ-TTg’s Apendix, detailing a list of employees who take unpaid leave or have theirs contracts suspended, 2. A copy of the employee agreement letter to take unpaid leave or have their contracts suspended, and 3. A copy of Financial Report 2019 and first quarter of 2020, along with other financial paperworks of the company.

Once confirmed, by the Social Security Office employers submit the application to the People’s Committee of the ward where the company’s HQ is at.

Employees whose labor contracts are terminated and are not eligible for unemployment insurance, and employees working without a labor contract who lose their jobs:

Employees submit an application to the People’s Committee of the commune/ward/district where he/she lives. The application includes: 1. Form 3 of Decision 15/2020/QĐ-TTg’s Apendix, 2. A copy of one of these documents: latest labor contract, resignation letter, announcement or agreement letter detailing the termination of labor contract, Social Security Book. If employees don’t have Social Security Book, state the reason in Form 3 above.

Employers facing financial difficulties that have paid at least 50% of salaries in advance to their employees during their suspension of work for the period from April to June 2020:

By the 5th of each month, employers submit Form 11 of Decision 15/2020/QĐ-TTg’s Apendix to the People’s Committee of the district/ward/commune/city where the company’s HQ or branch is at.

About GoGlobal: GoGlobal is a Specialized APAC Professional Employment Organization with 17 offices in the region and HQed in Tokyo, Japan. With a strong local presence, our mission is to connect the world to Asia and Asia to the world. GoGlobal was ranked among 2019 Top 100 Japan Startup by Toyo Keizai.